Learning Guide Learning Guide

52 • Chapter 3: Finding Solutionsf(1)The reason for this apparently odd behavior is that assign asks Mapleto do the assignment> f(x) := 2*x^3 + x;f(x) := 2 x 3 + xwhich is not at all the same as the assignment> f := x -> 2*x^3 + x;f := x → 2 x 3 + xThe former defines the value of the function f for only the specialargument x. The latter defines the function f: x ↦→ 2x 3 + x so that itworks whether you say f(x), f(y), or f(1).To define the solution f as a function of x use unapply.> eval(f(x),s3);2 x 3 + x> f := unapply(%, x);f := x → 2 x 3 + x> f(1);3The RootOf CommandMaple occasionally returns solutions in terms of the RootOf command.The following example demonstrates this point.> solve({x^5 - 2*x + 3 = 0},{x});